


The Faerie Prince

by orphan_account



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Fairies, First Kiss, Hunters & Hunting, Nymphs & Dryads, Original Character(s), Poachers, Selkies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-16 15:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16088714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It started with a butterfly.A hero rescued a butterfly from a spiders web and set her free.She was more than just a butterfly though and a year later she fell in love with her Hero.Tsuna hadn't expected to fall in love with his best friend, but when he did he wasn't as surprised as he thought he'd be.Reborn had been expecting his new student to be a slacker and a delinquent, not...a Faerie..."I need espresso,"





	1. Honorable Hero

One moment Tsuna was chasing a butterfly into the forest. The next found him sitting on a stick chair next to a throne where a girl about his age sat. They were surrounded by beautiful people calling him the Honorable Hero. He wasn’t exactly sure what happened between him freeing the butterfly from the spider web and now, but he’s pretty sure it had something to do with the butterfly turning into a girl.

“For saving my life,” the butterfly girl said, kissing his cheek.”You hold my appreciation,”

Tsuna blushed and twisted his shirt between his fingers. No one ever appreciated Dame-Tsuna.

“I would do it again if necessary,” Tsuna whispered. “I thank you for playing with me,”

The girl grinned. Before she’d gotten stuck in the spider web, they’d played together for quite a while. Tsuna had thought it was all his imagination, but knowing he’d actually been playing a game with someone was embarrassing.

“I quite enjoyed our dance too,” she said. “Oh my! I forgot, I am called Aine,”

Tsuna mumbled his own name, his words meshing together as his face burned from the inside. Did this mean she was his friend now? His first friend and she was a butterfly!

Aine tried to say his name several times but he could see she was struggling. They went through several variations of his name, but each failure only upset her more.

“It is your name, I wish to say it as your Mother intended it to be said,” Aine huffed. “Your language is just too different from that of the Windust Faeries,”

“What if we…” Tsuna thought for a second and smiled. “What if we talked to my Mama? Together you could find a name for me you both like!”

“I am not certain she would understand me,” Aine frowned.

“But I do,” Tsuna said. “Why wouldn’t Mama?”

“Because I am a Faerie, she is Human,”

“Am I not human?”

“You are an Honorable Hero,” Aine said. “A guest of the Windust Court,”

“I’ll just have to translate for you then,”

A smile bloomed on her face and she nodded eagerly.

“Let us head out soon,” Aine said

Soon turned out to be not so soon. After celebrating Princess Aine’s safe return, and giving the princess a chance to talk to her Hero, Tsuna was taken to a lake.

“What’s gonna happen now?” Tsuna asked his guide. The young man smiled.

“A simple cleansing, Honorable One,”

“Cleansing?”

It was a bath. They washed him with herbs and gently ducked his head into the water, but it was basically a bath. They gave him new clothes afterward. A tunic and trousers in the same fancy material Aine’s dress.

Then they’d taken him to an old oak tree. Tsuna wasn’t sure he’d ever seen an oak tree in Japan before, except in books.

  
“My Hero!!” Aine said running up to him. “I am fluttery, but quite excited too,”

“Fluttery?” Tsuna asked. He had a feeling she was saying she was nervous, but what if he was wrong? He was Dame, after all, this could all just a dream and none of it would matter when he woke up.

“Are you not?” She asked with a tilt of her head. “Do humans not have bonding ceremonies?”

“I’m not sure…” Did she mean weddings? Those only happened between adults though didn’t they?

“I have been to several but not had one myself,” Aine said. “It is a promise of trust and loyalty to be bonded to another. To grow this bond or to...to break it is up to the bonded,”

Trust and loyalty? Tsuna smiled because he understood that. A lot was happening that he didn’t really understand, but a friend? A real friend who wanted to show their friendship in a way that was special to them? He couldn’t have been happier even if it did turn out to be just a dream.

“What do you mean to grow it?” Tsuna asked.

“The most common growth is that of the Brothers or Sisters of Flight,” Aine said. “In times of war, there are also the Battle sibling bondings,”

Tsuna nodded to show he was following what she said.

“There’s also bonds like the bond my parents had,” Aine smiled, a sad but hopeful twist to her lips as she glanced at him. “A love so pure and true it followed them into death and beyond,”

He blushed. He wasn’t sure he was ready for a bond like that yet, but he knew he wouldn’t mind being friends with Aine. Tsuna followed Aine through the branches of the oak tree. He could see Mama holding that type of love for his father though, but thinking about it, he couldn’t say if that love was returned. Did father love Mama as much as she loved him?

“Thank you, my Hero,” Aine said. “I’m not so fluttery anymore,”

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do,” Tsuna admitted.

They stood side by side at the base of the tree. An old man with very large and shimmering wings stood in front of them with a scroll.

“Just speak the truth from your heart,” Aine said.

A soft fluttering of wings later had Tsuna peeking over his shoulder. They had an audience now, and Tsuna had a feeling it was more people than just those who had been at the party earlier.

“Tis’ on this day we gather to bear witness to Crown Princess Aine of Windust Court and her Honorable Hero of the Human Land as Magic unites them as Fate has done,”

  
Speak from your heart, Aine had said. What was his heart saying? It was telling him to speak, but what was he supposed to say?

“I promise to stay,” Tsuna said, turning to face Aine. He slowly took her hands and held them between her’s as the words spilled from his lips. Suddenly just knowing what to say. “I can’t promise to fix all your problems, but I can promise to stay by your side so you won’t have to face them alone. I promise to be there for you however you need me to be,”

“I promise to stand at your side, to aid you in times of strife and laugh with you in times of peace,” Aine said. “I promise to be there for you however you need me to be,”

A warmth spread between their enclosed hands. A glow twining around their arms spread over their arms. It raced down Tsuna’s spine and blossomed outward behind him. Aine’s entire body was wrapped in the soft white glow. People gasped. Tsuna turned his head to see, and his eyes went wide in shock. He had wings!

“As you’ve become part Faerie, I have become part human,” Aine whispered in awe as her hand patted as her chest. “Magic truly has blessed us,”

  
If this was a dream, Tsuna never wanted to wake up.


	2. Perfect Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To stop needless human suffering, Tsuna hatches a plan.

Figuring out how to turn into their human forms took them a while, and it was almost sunset when they did it, but Tsuna was excited. Aine looked much the same as she had as a Faerie. Long, wavy hair that hugged her waist in shades of purple that faded to white at the tips. She didn't have her wings, the shimmering blues and purples Tsuna had first thought of as part of her dress. Standing on wobbling legs, Aine looked around herself in awe.

 

Tsuna did too, for he hadn't noticed he'd shrunk in the first place until everything was it's proper size again. He offered her his hand. Even though his balance was also slightly off due to his long day spent as a Faerie, he was used to tripping over his own feet. She took his hand with a warm smile.

 

"Let's go talk to my Mama," Tsuna said. "I can't wait for you to meet her,"

 

"Yes," Aine said. "Let us go to see her,"

 

Returning home on stumbling feet with a friend at his side and a smile on his face was a new experience.  One he was looking forward to repeating for the rest of his life.

 

"Mama! I'm home, and I brought a friend,"

 

Mama came from the kitchen with a relieved sigh. She pulled Tsuna into a hug and gave Aine a thankful smile.

 

"Tsu-kun, Mama was so worried about you!"

 

"I'm okay Mama," Tsuna said. "Meet my friend, her name is Aine and she's a Faerie princess,"

 

"Oh?" Nana smiled. "Nice to meet you, Hime-san. Are you hungry? I've got dinner in the kitchen,"

 

Tsuna and Aine shared a glance. Mama didn't believe, but that was fine.

 

"She needs a place to stay Mama," Tsuna said leading Aine up to the kitchen "We have a spare room so I was hoping you wouldn't mind if she stayed with us?"

 

"Of course my Tsu-Kun's Hime can stay!" Nana said as she followed them. Tsuna and Aine sat at the table, and Nana got them some dinner.

 

"Could you also get her enrolled at Namimori Middle school?"

 

"Of course!"

 

"Thank you, Mama!"

 

It took some creative topic changes but eventually, Aine was able to ask Nana about alternative names for Tsuna.

 

"If he'd been born a girl I'd have named him Sora," Nana smiled.

 

"Xion? That's like Sora isn't it?" Tsuna said. "Glowing Complexion instead of Glowing Sky..."

 

"Names like Sora? How about Riku ?" Nana said. "The Land instead of The Sky,"

 

"Xion also means 'Unknown' doesn't it?" Tsuna asked.

 

The two traded name back and forth, the connections between the names getting nebulous with each new one they came up with. Aine frowned, she could see both of the first options being viable names and pronounceable in the Faerie language, but she wasn't sure which one would suit her Hero better. She didn't want to rename him with the wrong name!

 

"We are in no rush," Aine decided. "We can look into more names tomorrow yes?"

 

"We can," Tsuna smiled. "Are you tired? I'll show you to your bedroom!"

 

When she nodded, he took her to the guest room and she smiled.

 

"Your mother is quite nice," Aine said. "Sleep well Hero,"

 

"Sleep well Princess,"

 

The last few days of summer vacation passed by much too quickly for Tsuna's liking. They'd settled on 'Tage' for his Faerie name because Mama looked up  Aine's name on her laptop. Aine was an Irish name, pronounced 'On-yah'. Tage was also an Irish name, which meant Day. Tsuna liked it, and Aine decided she needed a Japanese name for while she lived in the Human World.

 

So it was that Himeko Aine Windust, a transfer student from Ireland, was enrolled at Namimori middle as a first-year student.

  


"Human education is quite boring, my Hero," Aine said. "Why must the educator drone on so?"

 

"He's telling us about the history of the Shoguns," Tsuna said. "At least that's what I think he's talking about,"

 

"Must we sit here all day?" She asked. "The sun is beckoning to us, can you not feel it?"

 

Tsuna could. It was an itch on his back, a phantom feeling of wind in his hair and the sun warm against his skin. He'd been trying to ignore it. He had a perfect attendance record, even if his grades were horrible he had never skipped class.  A glance at Aine's eyes, the soft pink of her eyes shouldn't look so sad, and he felt his determination waver.

 

"Please?"

 

Tsuna nodded. When the teacher turned to write something on the board, the two got up and left. Turning into their Faerie forms was as disorienting as becoming Human had been, but with practice, Tsuna hopped they'd get better at it.

 

Aine showed Tsuna the world usually hidden from Human eyes. A world of magic and wonder.

 

"It is not all good, however," She said. "There are Fae who use their powers for cruelty, and wicked plots,"

 

Aine had taken him across the sea to where a building was engulfed in a thick cloak of black magic. Tsuna got as close as he could, but the violent nature of the black magic reached out to him. A brush, only a fraction of a second of contact, filled his ears with their screams. His mind was numbed with unimaginable pain. Then it was gone and he was quick to flee.

 

"When a Fae turns to Black magic it turns them into a demon like Xir," Aine explained. "Xir has been harvesting human suffering from this building for almost two decades,"

 

"Is there anything we could do to help them?"

 

Aine worried her lip between her teeth.

 

"Not on our own,"

 

Returning to Namimori, Japan, a reckless, risky, but perfect plan began brewing in his head.

 

"We'll save those people Aine-hime," Tsuna said. "That's why you brought me there wasn't it?"

 

"You were able to save me were you not?"

 

Tsuna sat next to his Mama in the living room. Aine had to return to the Court and inform her guards of Tsuna's plan. He had chosen to tell his Mama because her aid would make this so much easier.

 

"Does Father still send us money?" Tsuna asked.

 

"Every day," Nana sighed. "We'll never make a dent in the savings even if I sent us both to the most expensive universities around the world,"

 

Tsuna nodded and moved a few priorities around on his to-do list.

 

"If I were to skip school," Tsuna began. "To start a business-"

 

Nana squealed, pulling Tsuna into a hug and gushing about her smart baby boy. He blushed and stuttered as a worry he'd held proved not to be an obstacle.

 

"Aine and I are going to need a building," Tsuna said. "A big one,"

 

"Anything for my Tsu-kun," Nana said. "Anything at all,"


	3. Furious Fae

 

Aine had a feeling this wasn't going to go over well, but Xir had been a problem long before she was born. The fact it was her Honorable Human Hero who came up with a plan to deal with their enemy before the old Faeries did, well, they just wanted to raise a huff. He saved her life! He skipped one of his education days to fly the skies with her. And he was the one who actually wanted to do something about the dark fae instead of just sit around debating about doing something.

 

"A human!"

"Fate brought them together for a reason,"

"I refuse to allow our Princess to breed with that human child,"

"That is not your choice to make,"

"It will be when she comes to me for healing after he's broken her wings,"

 

Her Hero? Sweet, kind, and shy Tsuna? Break her wings? Was nature collapsing? No, she thought not.

 

Her wings flared behind her. Her magic glowing along her wings in a mix of purple and blue, swirling in her eyes.

 

"Tage is my Hero," Aine said. "Whether you like it or not he made an oath of loyalty to me, and I to him. So curse your mouths shut or get out,"

 

Aine refused to sit here and let these old folk dictate her possible romantic connection with her Hero before she's even gotten to kiss him!

 

The Noble Court, the oldest of her Faeries, bowed their heads. It was easy to forget sometimes that, despite her young age, Princess Aine was the strongest Fae of the century.

 

"Tage has a plan," Aine said. "I have full confidence in him, and all who are willing are invited to join me in the Human World to aid my Hero's goals,"

 

"How are we to determine if we are willing if we don't know his goals?"

 

"He's going to stop the Demons," Turning on her heal, Aine left the tree hollow. She had a Hero to see.

 

She found him by a river. Transforming midair, her human feet landing softly on the ground behind him.

 

"Greetings, my Hero,"

 

Tsuna blushed every time she called him that, which made her feel a whole new kind of fluttering in her chest.

 

"Greetings, Aine-hime,"

 

Biting her lip with a smile she moved to stand at his side. When he continued to gaze up at the moon, she held his hand. He didn't pull away.

 

"Who is Xir?"

 

Aine turned and wrapped Tsuna in a hug. She hid her face in his shoulder and hoped he'd drop it. She didn't think she could say it aloud, she never had to before. All the Faeries of her Court knew who he was before he went dark. In all her years it had never been necessary to tell anyone about it.

 

Tsuna wrapped his arm around her and they stood in silence.

 

"He was my brother," Aine finally said. "He went dark when I was born. He killed our parents and has been trying to kill me since then,"

 

Tsuna held her closer, and she realized she'd started crying.

 

"My magic was stronger than his, and after he'd killed our parents my magic was purer too. Even knowing he couldn't kill me as he was he kept trying. My Faeries had to flee our homeland to protect me. He's spent the past two decades using human suffering to make himself stronger, and I don't want to die,"

 

Not now, not when she'd just found someone who made her happy. Someone who could stand as her equal, who wouldn't judge her or hide her in a flower for her own protection.

 

She didn't want to die now that she was finally enjoying life.

 

Tsuna's hand on her back pulsed with magic. From over his shoulder, she could see his wings, as vibrant and magnificent as her own, shine with the warm orange of his magic. She could feel her own wings resting on her human-sized back.  

 

"Fly with me, Princess,"

 

He lifted her into the air, and then they were dancing.

 

Dancing under the moonlight, the wind in her wings and Tsuna's hand in her's, Aine had never felt safer. It was like all her worries fell away when he pulled her close. Like a hundred stones had been lifted from her wings and she could fly higher than ever before.

 

Aine dropped her head to her desk. She was only putting up with this boring, cage of a building because Tsuna had been studying really hard for this 'test' thing. When this test of his was over she was going to convince him to go flying with her again. Xir had several black magic dens, and for Tsuna's plan to work as it should he needs to know how many dens he's planning for. It wouldn't be adequate to take down just one after all.

 

Test done with she turned to face her Hero only to see him already getting up.

 

"Come, come, there is much to do before the sun does set!"

 

Tsuna's laughter was music to her ears.

 

Aine had to be careful leading her Hero to these dens of Dark Magic. Though Xir had long since left these dens to create new ones, they were still connected to him. They were still his sources of Magic.

 

"How many of these dens does he have?"

 

"Too many,"

 

"One is too many," Tsuna said. "How are we supposed to take out all of them if we don't know how many there are?"

 

Aine chewed on her lip. What could she say? She didn't have an answer for her Hero.

 

Returning to Namimori, Aine followed Tsuna as he walked into their HeadQuarters. A few young adults, all looking kinda lost, turned to watch them. Seconds before they dismissed him as a kid, Tsuna began to make requests.

 

"Someone needs to track down the Estreano Famigilia and the Ventus Famigilia. All their locations, member numbers, and as many crimes as can be proven. Then I need someone to start recruiting, doctors, fighters, researchers, hackers, investigators, anyone and everyone who has no other options is to be offered a place with us. Once we have the numbers we can start making their lives difficult and -"

 

Aine had a skip in her step as she followed behind Tsuna. Kind, smart, brave Tsuna...what would he do next? She couldn't wait to find out.


	4. Sneaky Selkie

Cleaning the house was similar to cleaning her nest, Aine decided. It was just bigger. Nana didn't ask for much, only that they kept their rooms clean and brought their laundry to the laundry room so it could be washed. Aine had decided she liked washing dishes. There wasn't any single reason she could pinpoint as to why she liked that chore, but she did.  

 

It was a repetitive task. Pick up a dish, Soap, water, scrub, rinse, put in the dishwasher, repeat. She could get lost in thought while she did the dishes, and when she blinked the pile would have diminished to very few. It was a small accomplishment but Aine quite enjoyed it.

 

Drying her hands off with a hand towel, Aine left the kitchen in search of her Hero. She followed the hum of Tsuna's magic to the backyard. A glance around showed that he wasn't there, but she could feel his magic welcoming her there.

 

"Nana-san! We're going out to play," Aine said.

 

"Be back for dinner!" Nana said.

 

Aine laughed. Shrinking down into her Faerie form she found Tsuna, there where his magic said he would be.

 

"Tage!" Aine said flying over to his side. "Am I intruding?"

 

"Never, my Princess," He said. "Some Fae just wished to speak with me,"

 

She eyed the three other Fae who had been talking to Tsuna before she flew in.  A young Maiden Selkie with only her seal coat draped around her shoulders and her long brown hair to protect her modesty.

 

" A tribe of Humans killed my colony, my family," The Selkie said. "I wish to punish those who were responsible,"

 

"That can be arranged," Tsuna said. "It may take a while for me to find them,"

 

"I shall take a more human form, and aid you as I can,"

 

A silver-haired Faerie sat on the Selkie's shoulder, her wings cracked and magic fading.

 

"I do not have very long left on this Earth," The silver Faerie said. "I am a Nymph, but my tree was cut down by a human man. I must find the human who cut down my tree, and he must plant a new one or I shall die... I only have until the last petal of my Flower falls,"

 

Aine gripped Tsuna's hand. This is why it was such a big deal for her Faeries when he'd saved her. Humans don't save the Fae. For one reason or another, a Human will regularly be the source of Fae suffering and a Dark Fae can be found harvesting Human suffering even if they aren't the cause of it.

 

"I'm just looking for a place to stay," The elf boy said. "A Colddrake destroyed my last home,"

 

"How did you escape?" Aine asked.

 

"I knew it was coming, but when I warned my people they didn't believe me,"

 

"We welcome you," Tsuna said. "I'll help you in any way I can,"

 

Alone in the backyard, Tsuna pulled her close and dropped his head to her shoulder. Aine ran her finger through his fluffy brown hair.

 

"Is this...coming to me for aid thing going to be common?" Tsuna asked.

 

"Quite common," Aine said. "Your very magic is a beacon to those in need,"

 

"Two more sets of enemies and we haven't even figured out what to do about Xir,"

 

"Dance with me, my Hero,"

 

Together they danced through the air until they left his worries behind them. They danced with the wind and they chased the leaves.

 

Aine eyed the familiar magic in her Hero's classroom. The Selkie maiden turned to face her and smirked.

 

"Kurokawa Hana," The Selkie Maiden said. "Nice to meet you, Himeko,"

 

Aine forced a bright smile on her face as displeasure burned her gut.

 

"Welcome to Namimori Middle, Hana-chan,"

 

Tsuna looked up from his notebook with a worried tilt to his lips. The two girls sat down in their seats, and Aine suppressed a sneer.  The Selkie sat in front of her Hero, and Aine buried her face in her arms. Stewing in her confused anger, Aine fell asleep.

  


"Himeko-san?"

 

Aine blinked, forgetting what she'd been thinking about as she noticed the boy in front of her. They stood in the hallway outside their classroom. It was lunch, and Aine really wanted to go sit under one of the trees outside with Tsuna.

 

"My apologies," Aine said. "You were saying?"

 

"I wanted to know if you'd go out with me?" He asked. "Like on a date,"

 

Aine glanced to where Tsuna sat, leaning against his desk and talking to the Selkie Maiden. Hana glanced out the window and meet Aine's gaze with a smirk. Leaning closer to him Hana whispered something in his ear that made him blush. Displeasure turned her gut, as it usually did when Hana got too close to Tsuna.

 

"Excuse me for a moment would you?" Aine asked before marching back into the classroom. She had a seal to send back to the sea.

 

Aine had been trying to figure out how to draw out her wings while in her human form when Nana turned on the television. Pink eyes watched in awe as the newscaster reported the rescues of hundreds missing, and some thought to be dead, people. For the better half of the year, Tsuna had been expanding his Clan and chasing down leads and connections only he saw.

 

Now, Aine watched as the dens of Black magic were taken apart by the humans. Men, women, children, most carted out by human healers. Others were lead out by human protectors of the peace.

 

"This is the largest, most extensive case of kidnapping and human experimentation since world war two-" The newswoman said.

 

Whatever Xir had been planning, there's no way he'd be able to achieve it now. Five hundred dens all around the world were discovered by the Humans.

 

Aine cried. She didn't know why these tears fell but she couldn't stop. Tsuna and Nana held her as she sobbed her heart out.


	5. Lost Love

Tsuna leaned back in his chair. Hana draped a cold rag across his eyes.

"For a normal Faerie," Hana said. "becoming human simply isn't possible,"

"Then what's the Nymph Faerie doing?"

Hana hummed at him. If his eyes weren't hurting he'd roll them at her.

"She's creating a Changeling,"

Tsuna tilted towards the Selkie waiting for her to elaborate.

"A Fae Child born from a human mother," Hana said. "And a Fae's desire to live outside the laws of Nature,"

Tsuna removed the cloth from his face with a sigh. A dying Nymph turn Faerie was going to create a changeling child somewhere in Namimori. he'd have to do something to help the chosen mother... If a changeling child has the magic of a Fae, the blood of a human, and exists outside the laws of nature then...

"A changelings only desire is the complete and total annihilation of Nature," Hana said. "Their entire existence demands it,"

Tsuna took off to find a hostile magic imprint. A young woman with snow-white hair, both human and Fae to his senses, was storming out of the Sassagawa residence.

" I didn't sleep with your husband!" She said. "Some highly trained doctor you turned out to be Sister dearest,"

"How else could you've fallen pregnant?" Mrs. Sassagawa said, following the cursed woman from the house. "It's not like you ever left, or invited anyone over!"

"I'm still a virgin!"

"Impossible, you're pregnant,"

The cursed woman left, and Tsuna lost her at the airport.

"At least I have a name," Tsuna sighed. "Mrs. Sassagawa's maiden name was Gesso, it's a place to start at least,"

He flew home and found Aine napping under the tree in the yard.

"If a Fae makes a changeling child, does that mean the fae is dead?" Tsuna asked her.

"Yes," She said. "The Nymph?"

"The Changeling mother, Ms. Gesso, left Japan,"

"Poor woman,"

Tsuna joined Aine on the ground with a sigh. The two fell asleep there, under the shade of the tree, in the warmth of the sun, with a soft breeze in the air.

Aine left the classroom on an errand for the teacher. tsuna tried not to worry when she didn't return. By the time class ended for the day Aine still hadn't returned.

He was worried about her so he went searching for her.

He found her.

Standing in the hallway with Hibari-sempai, her cheeks red and a shy smile on her lips.

Tsuna pulled his magic inward, drawing it tighter inside himself as he pressed against the wall.

"It may sound irrational," Aine said. "To claim such a thing so soon after meeting, but it is quite true. I've dreamt of finding a love like this since before I could remember, and I had not believed I would ever find it,"

Tsuna glanced at the reflection of Aine in the window of a classroom. Her eyes, always so expressive, shined with honesty and the love she spoke of. His heart ached and Tsuna did understand why he was crying. He turned and left the two alone in the hallway. He didn't even know when Aine had started hanging out with Hibari, but as-as long as she was happy he'd support her. Even if the very thought felt like he was tearing out his heart.

When Aine came home, Tsuna wasn't able to look at her without hurting.

"I've got homework," Tsuna said. He locked himself in his room after dinner and screamed into his pillow. What did Hibari have that Tsuna didn't? Was it his strength? Because Tsuna could start working out, martial arts or weapons classes are everywhere in Namimori. Was it the disciplinary committee? Tsuna was forming his own group, and they'd even started narrowing down where Xir was hiding. He didn't know, and he wished he'd never eavesdropped them. If he never had to find out Aine liked someone else, he wouldn't have to realize his own feelings for her, and have them rejected.

"How did she even meet Hibari-san?"Tsuna muttered. "Love at first sight?"

Tsuna was dealing with his emotions by burying himself in work. He didn't go to school, instead, he headed straight to his office to look over documents. Hana followed at his side, dragging along her human friend Sassagawa Kyoko.

"You're looking for my Aunt?" Kyoko asked. "We haven't heard from her since Ma kicked her out,"

Kyoko fell in love with the kitchen and took charge of the chefs and cooks who didn't really have much to do. Hana brought him lunch and lounged around the office like a seal would lounge on the sand.

"I've been trying to get you to admit it for the past four months," Hana said. "I didn't think she'd move on so quickly, but I don't know the Princess as well as you do,"

"I'm not sure I know her all that well anymore,"

Tsuna sent a team to Spain, and another to Tokyo. If they came across an increased homeless population where one shouldn't be, then Tsuna would send his Faerie volunteers to investigate.

"Don't know her?" Hana scoffed. "Please, you could read her like a book,"

There were a lot of hunters gathering in the Antarctic this year.

A photo of Aine was slammed on top of his paperwork.

"Look at it, Honorable One," Hana said. "Look,"

Aine sat her desk in the classroom. Her cheek pressed against the palm of her hand. Her other hand was fiddling with the ribbon tied around a pencil. Her eyes were glancing to the side, lost in thought, but the twist of her lips showed it was a happy thought. A gleam of a tooth, she was biting her lip too. Worried? or embarrassed?

"She's thinking a happy thought that had her embarrassed," Tsuna said. "Probably her confession to Hibari,"

"Barely thirty seconds," Hana said. "You did in thirty seconds what armies and kingdoms of Fae have been trying to do for a century,"

Tsuna dropped the photo in the trash can by his desk.

"No one has ever gotten close enough to her to be seen as 'not a threat' by her magic," Hana continued. "No one but you,"

Tsuna was going to send some scouts to Antarctica. Find out why there were so many hunters there right now.

Hana hummed at him before she left. He grabbed the photo from the trash and brushed it off. He put it inside his desk and vowed never to look at it again.

"I didn't recognize my own feelings soon enough," Tsuna told the photo of Aine. "So really, it's my own fault,"

"Even knowing you confessed to Hibari," Tsuna sighed. "I still want to tell you my own confession. Does that make me selfish?"


	6. Abrupt Action

Aine was fed up with her Advisors. Returning home after another disastrous meeting, she felt like she was boiling.

"How ignorant do they think I am? 'Prince Niham is looking for a bride,' they said," Aine muttered. "I do not wish to marry Prince Niham, but do they care? Old Folk with their plots and plans, I will not play their game!"

Walking face first into someone, she seethed. Her magic lashed out, as her hand slapped the person across their face.

A warm hand caught her wrist. Swept off her feet by a familiar arm around her waist, she blinked.

"Easy there Princess," Tsuna smiled. "I should've been watching where I was going, but I don't think that's grounds for you to hit me,"

"Many apologies," she said. He was so close, and his eyes were so warm. She could feel her heart beating against her chest, as she gripped his shoulder for balance.

He smiled, before standing her up and letting go. Aine pushed aside her disappointment. She was angry right now, and she wanted to continue being angry in peace.

"I'm going outside," Tsuna said. "Would you like to join me?"

She was going to say no. Storm up those stairs and slam her bedroom door shut. She'd throw her pillows and list all the reasons why the Old Folk were wrong or mean or rude.

"I will not be a good companion right now," Aine sighed.

"I don't mind,"

They sat under their tree, Aine's head resting on his shoulder as they gazed up at the moon.

"Why are you angry?"Tsuna asked.

"Why are you always busy?" she challenged. "I thought you were avoiding me,"

Tsuna went quite. Aine sighed.

"I am not old enough to rule my people on my own," she said. "So I have a group of Old Folk who give me advice and tell me what to do. They told me to stop visiting you. They insist that you are dangerous, that you will break my wings,"

"I do not think you will," Aine said. "but they keep bringing it up!"

Tsuna knelt in front of her, holding her hands between his.

"I dislike them," Aine told him. "I dislike them very much,"

"What can I do to help you?"

Love me, she thought.

"Hold me," she said.

He pulled her into a hug. She melted into his embrace, still without the answers to her own questions.

Aine was confused. Tsuna was busy again, and sad, and avoiding her because she was making him sad but -

But she didn't know what she did to upset him and he wouldn't answer when she asked.

"Maybe it has something to do with Hibari-san," Hana said. "Or maybe not,"

"What does Hibari have to do with anything?"

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"He's the intimidating overlord of this Human territory," Aine said. "Other than that, there's nothing I can think of,"

"Did you meet him?"

"Once, and it was horrible,"

"Somehow I don't believe you,"

"He only stared at me," Aine said. "But it felt like he was threatening me! I'm not sure, but I think I told him my entire life story...."

Hana laughed at her. Aine sneered. This was why they would never be friends. Always laughing at her, what was so funny anyway?

"You sure you don't have a crush of the handsome elf-warrior?"

"Ew, no," Aine scrunched up her nose. "Besides what I feel is more than a crush,"

"So you do love the Honorable One,"

Aine didn't have to think about it. She could still feel his arms around her waist. His eyes bright with laughter. His calm in the face of her fiery temper.  
The way he'd sit her down as they talked through their first argument. Aine's lips twisted upward at the memory. All the times they danced together, rain or sun, day or night. She missed him. Missed sitting at his side while he worked on plan after plan. She missed napping under the tree or laughing with him.

"I do,"

Aine stood up. The abrupt action drawing everyone's attention to her.

"I love him," She said. "I have no time to waste!"

Aine opened the window and jumped. Transforming into her small, Faerie form she flew towards her Hero.

Becoming human and crashing into his office from his window, wasn't exactly what Aine had in mind. She jumped up, shaking the glass off with the motion.

Tsuna glanced from the window to her, and back again. Startled chuckles falling from his lips as relaxed.

"I love you," she said. "Please no more avoiding me,"

"But Hibari-"

"I don't know what you heard but I only have romantic feelings for you,"

She marched up to his desk. Both hands on the desk, she met his eyes straight on.

"How do you feel about me?"

Tsuna smiled, and it was like a weight was lifted from his shoulders.

"I love you too,"

"Can I kiss you?" she asked staring at his lips. Her heart was beating in her chest, the thumb-thumb-thumb loud in her ears. She glanced up to his eyes, burning bright orange with his magic, then licked her suddenly chapped lips.

"Yes,"

She nodded. Leaning forward with her eyes closed, her mind suddenly black. Then his lips were on her's and magic was swirling under her skin.

One of his hands cupped her face, his other going behind her. He pulled her onto his desk, and suddenly they were closer. She parted her lips and his tongue slipped inside. It was an entirely new dance, sloppy and awkward, but she loves it.

Aine sat on his lap, her head resting on his shoulder and a new warmth in her chest. Tsuna kept a hand on her back even when he returned to his paperwork.

"Sorry about the window," Aine said. There was glass everywhere. A human would've been covered in cuts and worse from breaking through a widow. Her magic had protected her from the glass, but she could feel a bruise forming on her knees. She should work on her landings...

"I needed to get it replaced anyway," Tsuna said. "So don't worry about it,"

She nodded and nestled into his neck.

"I love you, Aine,"

"I love you too, Tsuna,"

She fell asleep with a smile, safe in his arms.


	7. Reborn!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time skip a few months, Tsuna, Aine, and Hana are second years. Toss in a few mentions of mythical monsters too.

Reborn slipped a flyer into the Sawada family mailbox. Hiding in a tree, he settled in to watch them.

Nana Sawada, thirty-nine years old and owner of a storage facility on the other side of town. The single mother came outside after making breakfast. She checked the mail and smiled when she saw the flyer.

Himeko Windust stood outside Tsunayoshi's bedroom, in a dress of soft blue. Tsunayoshi woke up and stumbled around his room getting ready for the day.

Reborn raised an eyebrow at the suit the boy picked to wear. It definitely was not the Namimori middle school uniform.

"Good morning, my love," Himeko said.

"Morning, my dearest," Tsunayoshi said with a yawn. "Fluttery?"

"Very much so,"

The two teenagers went down to breakfast and shared a warm family meal with Nana.

"Plans for today?" Nana asked.

"Aine is introducing me to her allies today," Tsuna said. "Then I'll be going to Antarctica with Hana,"

"Have you found Ms. Gesso?" Nana asked.

"She's in Italy, but she doesn't even remember giving birth to the Changeling," Tsuna sighed. "The child has vanished, whichever Fae took him covered their tracks well,"

"I found a flyer today, a home tutor!"

"Really Mama?"

"You've practically dropped out of school to work full time, a tutor would help you graduate at least,"

Tsuna shrugged. When they were finished the two teenagers left. Nana called the number on the flyer, and Reborn happily accepted the job he was already hired to do.

Reborn followed the duo to where their 'budding Yakuza base' was. What he found when he got there was a full-fledged criminal syndicate.

"We've lost the Snow Beast, Sir," a young man said falling into step behind Tsuna and his girlfriend.

"Any sign of Xir?"

"No, Sir,"

"Find the Snow Beast, kill her if you must,"

"Yes, Sir,"

"We've found the creature called a Colddrake in Ireland, Sir," a young woman said, replacing the other agent at Tsuna's side.

"Any idea how to kill it?"

"Black magic,"

"Not happening, what else?"

"We'll find another option, Sir,"

"Prince Niham is threatening war, My Lady," A boy said at Himeko's side.

"Prepare for war then Fuuta," Himeko said.

"As you wish,"

The two made it to the office on the third floor with people reporting to them as they went. 'Elves' from the east seeking shelter, 'Selkie' seeking refuge, another 'Selkie' lost her 'Seal coat' and requests aid finding it.

Once the two were behind closed doors, Himeko pushed Tsuna against the wall and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Reborn put a hand over his eyes with dismay. The two were kissing in the Boss' office. Sure, it was most likely Tsuna's office but they were fourteen! Dino wasn't kissing anyone until he turned sixteen, and Skull hadn't had his first kiss until he was nineteen. Reborn really did not approve of his students having love lives until after he was done training them.

Leon turned into a gun and Reborn took aim. The bullet bounced off the window. And the second one. Third, fourth, and fifth bounced off the same sport but didn't even leave a dent.

A glowing orange eye peered at him from the office. Reborn lowered Leon. The glowing eye closed again as the teen went back to kissing his girlfriend.

The two didn't do anything more than kiss which Reborn was thankful for. They straightened out their clothes before activating what looked like Dying Will and disappearing.

Reborn searched the town for his student or the girl. He didn't find them until sunset.

Tsunayoshi, Himeko, and their friend Hana stood on the beach with three men and two women.

"You are a strong young Maiden," the man in charge said.

"Thank you, your Majesty," Hana bowed.

"I would be honored if you were to represent Us in the Honorable One's Court,"

"I shall," Hana smiled.

The men walked into the sea, leaving the two women on shore.

"A dagger," The first woman said handing a stone dagger to the teenage girl. "For your inner warrior,"

"A necklace," the second woman said putting a pearl necklace around the teenager's neck. "For your inner mage,"

"For whichever path you choose," The two woman said. "The sea will always welcome you home,"

Hana stood at the edge of the water until the women were out of sight.

"Don't be a monkey now Aine-hime," Hana said. "It's not like I'm going anywhere,"

"I'm not a monkey, seal-face,"

The two girls began bickering. Tsuna looked over his shoulder, his eyes glowing orange and Reborn gave a nod. Tsuna raised an eyebrow but nodded back.

The teens separated, Hana heading to her own home as Tsuna and Himeko 'Aine' returned to the Sawada house.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...How is it so far? Thoughts? Good? Bad? 
> 
> I'm really worried here because while I love romance I don't think I write it well. Along with everything else I'm worried about...
> 
> Thank you for reading and commenting!


End file.
